1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus having a color printing function and an information printing method of the facsimile apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as one of the functions possessed by a facsimile apparatus, there has been a function of printing header information indicating a name, title, telephone number and others of an originator""s terminal based on a facsimile response signal (Transmitting Subscriber Identification: TSI signal), composed of characters and numerals, on a margin of recording sheet in receiving a facsimile. FIG. 10 shows an example of header information H printed on recording sheet 30 in the conventional art.
Although the function of printing the header information is convenient to specify the originator, in order to discriminate the information received from a certain originator, it requires the user to recognize the header information by characters and to classify them and hence it is difficult to discriminate the received information quickly.
As a prior art, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 2-301259 (1990) discloses a facsimile apparatus which prints an index mark on a margin of recording sheet. It prints the index mark at position corresponding to a number of times of incoming calls by measuring the number of times in automatic response of the facsimile apparatus. Based on the position where the index mark is printed, the user can discriminate received information of one and same communication unit quickly and reliably. Such a technology is disclosed also in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 4-220864 (1992).
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 4-270548 (1992) discloses a facsimile apparatus which is capable of printing data indicating an originator (header information) in a different printing color per each communication type such as an emergency transmission and a confidential transmission. In concrete, originator indicating data having a printing color corresponding to a type of communication is added to color image data at the originator""s terminal, then the color image data is transmitted. At the receiver""s terminal, the originator indicating data having the specified printing color is printed together with the image data. The user can discriminate the type of the communication such as the emergency transmission and the confidential transmission based on the printed color of the originator indicating data.
According to the techniques disclosed in JP-A 2-301259 and JP-A-4-220864, an index mark is printed at position corresponding to a number of times of incoming calls. Accordingly, although it is easy to discriminate the received information of one and same communication unit, it is necessary to recognize the header information by characters after all in order to discriminate the received information from the same originator.
The technique of JP-A 4-270548 is what controls the type of communication such as the emergency transmission and the confidential transmission in the originator""s terminal. Although the receiver can discriminate the received information of one and same communication type readily based on the printed color of the originator indicating data, the user has to recognized the originator indicating data (header information) by characters in the same manner as described above to discriminate the received information from one and same originator.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 5-244364 discloses a facsimile apparatus which performs a printing process based on information produced on the receiving side. The information produced on the receiver side is information discriminably showing whether the receiving operation has been normal or abnormal for example.
It is an object of the invention to provide a facsimile apparatus, and an information printing method of the facsimile apparatus, which allows information received from one and same originator to be discriminated visually, quickly and readily without error.
In a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a facsimile apparatus comprising: color printing means; originator identification information detecting means for detecting identification information of an originator from received information including image information; a memory for prestoring identification information of originators in correspondence with printing colors; selecting means for selecting a printing color corresponding to the identification information detected by the originator identification information detecting means from the memory; and signal generating means for generating a printing signal which instructs to print the information in the selected printing color and giving the printing signal to the printing means.
According to the first aspect of the invention, the originator identification information detecting means detects the identification information of the originator in receiving a facsimile. Next, identification information which coincides with the detected identification information is selected out of the identification information of originators stored in the memory and the printing color corresponding to the identification information is selected. Next, the printing signal which instructs to print the information in the selected color is generated. Then, the information is printed. Accordingly, the information may be printed in the selected printing color.
In a second aspect of the invention, the facsimile apparatus further comprises: judging means for judging whether or not the received image information is black-and-white, and wherein the originator identification information detecting means detects the originator identification information from the received information when the received image information is judged as being black-and-white by the judging means.
According to the second aspect of the invention, the information may be printed in a selected printing color even when the received image information is black-and-white.
In a third aspect of the invention, it is preferable that the signal generating means generates a printing signal which instructs to print the received image information in the selected printing color as the printing signal, and the printing means prints the received image information based on the generated printing signal.
According to the third aspect of the invention, the originator identification information detecting means detects the identification information of the originator in receiving a facsimile. Next, identification information which coincides with the detected identification information is selected out of identification information of originators stored in the memory in advance and a printing color corresponding to the identification information is selected. Then, the printing signal which instructs to print the received image in the selected printing color is generated and the received image is printed based on the printing signal.
For instance, identification information of an originator""s terminal A is detected from a facsimile response signal (TSI signal) and a monochromatic image is printed in a printing color Ma corresponding to the originator""s terminal A in receiving a monochromatic facsimile from the originator""s terminal A. The information transmitted from the terminal A may be discriminated by selecting the recording sheet on which the image of the printing color Ma is printed out of the mixed recording sheets. It is possible to select the recording sheet visually, readily and quickly without being required to recognize characters and without error because the information is distinguished by the colors.
In a fourth aspect of the invention, it is preferable that the signal generating means generates an index signal which instructs to print an index mark for discriminating the originator in the selected printing color as the printing signal, and the printing means prints the index mark based on the generated index signal, together with the received image information.
According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the originator identification information detecting means detects the identification information of the originator in receiving a facsimile. Next, the identification information which coincides with the detected identification information is selected among identification information of originators stored in the memory in advance and a printing color corresponding to that identification information is selected. Then, the index signal which instructs to print the index mark in the selected printing color is generated and based on that index signal, the index mark of the predetermined color is printed together with the image information.
For instance, the identification information of the originator""s terminal A is detected from the facsimile response signal (TSI signal) in receiving a facsimile from the originator""s terminal A and the index mark is printed in the printing color Ma corresponding to the originator""s terminal A. The information transmitted from the terminal A may be discriminated by selecting the recording sheet on which the index mark of the printing color Ma is printed out of the mixed recording sheets. The recording sheet may be selected visually, readily and quickly without being required to recognize characters and without error because the information may be distinguished by the color.
It is also possible to arrange so as to indicate the index mark in a specific printing color when there is no identification information which coincides with the detected identification information in the identification information of the originators stored in the memory in advance. For instance, it is possible to arrange so as to print the index mark in the printing color Mc in receiving a facsimile from the originator""s terminal C not stored in the memory in advance. The information transmitted from the terminal C may be readily discriminated because the recording sheet on which the index mark of the printing color Mc is printed may be selected out of the mixed recording sheets visually, readily and quickly without being required to recognize characters and without error.
In a fifth aspect of the invention, it is preferable that the signal generating means does not generate the printing signal when the printing color corresponding to the detected identification information cannot be selected from the memory.
According to the fifth invention, when the printing color corresponding to the detected identification information cannot be selected from the memory, i.e., when there is no identification information which coincides with the detected identification information in the identification information of originators stored in the memory in advance, no index mark is printed and only the received image information is printed. The information transmitted from the terminal not stored in advance may be discriminated readily because the recording sheet on which no index mark is printed may be selected out of the mixed recording sheets visually and quickly without error.
Further, according to the fifth invention, when the printing color corresponding to the detected identification information cannot be selected from the memory, i.e., when there is no identification information which coincides with the detected identification information in the identification information of originators stored in the memory in advance, the received image is printed in its color, e.g., in monochrome. Accordingly, the information transmitted from the terminal not stored in advance may be discriminated readily because the recording sheet on which the monochromatic image is printed may be selected out of the mixed recording sheets visually and quickly without being required to recognize characters and without error.
In a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided an information printing method of a facsimile apparatus having a color printing function, comprising the steps of detecting originator identification information of an originator from received information including image information; selecting a printing color corresponding to the detected originator identification information from a memory in which identification information of originators are prestored in correspondence with printing colors; generating a printing signal which instructs to print the information in the selected printing color; and printing the information.
According to the sixth aspect of the invention, the identification information of the originator is detected in receiving a facsimile. Next, identification information which coincides with the detected identification information is selected out of identification information of originators stored in the memory and a printing color corresponding to the identification information is selected. Next, the printing signal which instructs to print the information in the selected printing color is generated. Then, the information is printed. Accordingly, the information may be printed in the selected printing color.
In a seventh aspect of the invention, it is preferable that the information printing method of a facsimile apparatus further comprises the step of judging whether or not the received image information is black-and-white, and in the step of detecting originator identification information, the originator identification information is detected from the received information when the received image information is judged as being black-and-white in the judging step.
According to the seventh aspect of the invention, it is judged in receiving a facsimile whether or not the received image information is black-and-white at first. When the received image information is black-and-white, the identification information of the originator is detected. Next, identification information which coincides with the detected identification information is selected out of identification information of originators stored in the memory and a printing color corresponding to that identification information is selected. Then, the printing signal which instructs to print the information in the selected printing color is generated. Then, the information is printed. Accordingly, the information may be printed by selecting the printing color even when the received image information is black-and-white.
In an eighth aspect of the invention, it is preferable that in the signal generating step, a printing signal which instructs to print the received image information in the selected printing color is generated as the printing signal, and in the printing step, the received image information is printed based on the generated printing signal.
According to the eighth aspect of the invention, the identification information of the originator is detected at first in receiving a facsimile. Next, identification information which coincides with the detected identification information is selected out of the identification information of the originators stored in the memory in advance and a printing color corresponding to the identification information is selected. Then, the printing signal which instructs to print the received image in the selected printing color is generated and the received image is printed based on the printing signal.
For instance, the identification information of the originator""s terminal A is detected from the facsimile response signal (TSI signal) in receiving a monochromatic facsimile from the originator""s terminal A and the monochromatic image is printed in the printing color Ma corresponding to the originator""s terminal A. The information transmitted from the terminal A may be discriminated by selecting the recording sheet on which the image of the printing color Ma is printed out of the mixed recording sheets. The recording sheet may be selected visually, readily and quickly without being required to recognize characters and without error because the information may be distinguished by the color.
In a ninth aspect of the invention, it is preferable that in the signal generating step, an index signal which instructs to print an index mark for discriminating the originator in the selected printing color is generated as the printing signal; and in the printing step, the index mark based on the generated index signal is printed, together with the received image information.
According to the ninth aspect of the invention, the identification information of the originator is detected in receiving a facsimile. Next, the identification information which coincides with the detected identification information is selected out of identification information of originators stored in the memory in advance and the printing color corresponding to that identification information is selected. Then, the index signal which instructs to print the index mark in the selected printing color is generated and based on the index signal, the index mark of the predetermined color is printed together with the image information.
For instance, the identification information of the originator""s terminal A is detected from the facsimile response signal (TSI signal) in receiving a facsimile from the originator""s terminal A and the index mark is printed in the printing color Ma corresponding to the originator""s terminal A. The information transmitted from the terminal A may be discriminated by selecting the recording sheet on which the index mark of the printing color Ma is printed out of the mixed recording sheets. The recording sheet may be selected visually, readily and quickly without being required to recognize characters and without error because the information may be distinguished by the color.
It is also possible to arrange so as to indicate the index mark in a specific printing color when there is no identification information which coincides with the detected identification information in the identification information of the originators stored in the memory in advance. For instance, it is possible to arrange so as to print the index mark in the printing color Mc in receiving a facsimile from the originator""s terminal C not stored in the memory in advance. The information transmitted from the terminal C may be readily discriminated because the recording sheet on which the index mark of the printing color Mc is printed may be selected out of the mixed recording sheets visually, readily and quickly without being required to recognize characters and without error.
In a tenth aspect of the invention, it is preferable that in the signal generating step, the printing signal is not generated when the printing color corresponding to the detected identification information cannot be selected from the memory.
According to the tenth aspect of the invention, when the printing color corresponding to the detected identification information cannot be selected from the memory, i.e., when there is no identification information which coincides with the detected identification information in the identification information of originators stored in the memory in advance, no index mark is printed and only the received image information is printed. The information transmitted from the terminal not stored in advance may be discriminated readily because the recording sheet on which no index mark is printed may be selected out of the mixed recording sheets visually and quickly without error.
Further, according to the tenth aspect of the invention, when the printing color corresponding to the detected identification information cannot be selected, i.e., when there is no identification information which coincides with the detected identification information in the identification - information of originators stored in the memory in advance, the received image is printed in its color, e.g., in monochrome. Accordingly, the information transmitted from the terminal not stored in advance may be discriminated readily because the recording sheet on which the monochromatic image is printed may be selected out of the mixed recording sheets visually and quickly without being required to recognize characters and without error.